Effective sensitization of Yb3+ ions on Yb3+/Nd3+ co-doped fluoroborate glasses for NIR luminescence applications

Abstract Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped fluoroborate glass samples were fabricated by melt quenching. The near infrared luminescence (NIR) spectral features of Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped fluoroborate glasses were characterized by XRD, SEM, FT-IR, optical absorption, photoluminescence (PL) and PL decay spectral studies. An effective energy transfer process has been observed from Nd3+ to Yb3+ in the titled glasses under 808 nm excitation wavelength. Broad emission ranging from 850 to 1400 nm due to both Nd3+ (4F3/2 → 4I9/2, 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 and 4F3/2 → 4I13/2) and Yb3+ (2F5/2 → 2F7/2) transitions has been observed in all the glasses. The dependence of NIR emission, decay lifetime, and the energy transfer efficiency (ηETE) with the concentration of Yb3+ was studied in detailed. The PL spectra along with donor decay curves have been used to establish the energy transfer mechanism between Nd3+/Yb3+ ions. The results represent the possible sensitization of Yb3+ through 4f-4f transition of Nd3+ ions in titled glasses. The PL of the Nd3+ singly doped and Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped titled glasses indicate their suitability as multiple pump channel sources for Yb3+ fiber laser systems. The results finally prove that the Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped fluoroborate titled glasses are quite useful to fabricate infrared laser gain materials.